Homeland
Security
Current Nationwide
Threat Level
ELEVATED
Daily Open Source Infrastructure
Report for 24 November 2010
Significant Risk of Terrorist Attacks
For information, click here:
http://www.dhs.gov
Top Stories
IDG News Service reported a Florida woman has pleaded guilty to charges she helped her
employer sell counterfeit computer chips for use by the U.S. military in items ranging from
missile programs and radiation detectors to high-speed trains. (See item 13)
According to KHOU 11 Houston, copper thieves have hit dozens of transmission towers in
two Texas counties, in one instance endangering more than 250,000 people, when they
knocked emergency communication systems for firefighters and paramedics offline. (See
item 40)
Fast Jump Menu
PRODUCTION INDUSTRIES
• Energy
• Chemical
• Nuclear Reactors, Materials and Waste
• Critical Manufacturing
• Defense Industrial Base
• Dams
SUSTENANCE and HEALTH
• Agriculture and Food
• Water
• Public Health and Healthcare
SERVICE INDUSTRIES
• Banking and Finance
• Transportation
• Postal and Shipping
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• Communications
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FEDERAL and STATE
• Government Facilities
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• National Monuments and Icons
Energy Sector
Current Electricity Sector Threat Alert Levels: Physical: ELEVATED,
Cyber: ELEVATED
Scale: LOW, GUARDED, ELEVATED, HIGH, SEVERE [Source: ISAC for the Electricity Sector (ES-ISAC) [http://www.esisac.com]
1. November 23, Associated Press – (Wisconsin; Illinois) Rare November tornadoes
cause damage in Wisconsin, Illinois. Cleanup from a rare November tornado began
November 23 in southeastern Wisconsin. A confirmed tornado touched down in
Walworth County, where four homes and four farm buildings were damaged. The
National Weather Service said the tornado was an EF-1 and traveled about 4 miles. An
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apparent twister also moved through Union Grove in Racine County, where semis were
blown over and debris was spread over parts of Interstate 94. We Energies said about
3,000 customers lost power. By November 23, utility crews restored service to all but
several hundred customers. In Caledonia, the township hall was demolished and a
number of homes were damaged, the North Boone fire said. The storm also destroyed a
number of silos and grain bins. A complete damage list could not be compiled
November 22 because the whole town was in darkness from a power failure, the fire
chief said. Utility outages were widespread November 22, with some 42,200 customers
without power from northern Winnebago County east to Belvidere, Illinois a ComEd
spokesman said. The utility said the storms hit 10 transmission towers in Boone
County.
Source: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/tornadoes/2010-11-22-midweststorm_N.htm
2. November 23, Associated Press – (Washington) 66,000 in dark as storm bears down
on Washington. Tens of thousands of people in the Puget Sound area were in the dark
as a winter storm barreled through Washington state. A Puget Sound Energy
spokeswoman said of the 66,000 customers without power November 23, 56,000 were
in Kitsap County. She said tree branches being blown into power lines by strong winds
were to blame for the outages that peaked at 90,000. The spokeswoman said if the
winds continued to be a problem through November 23, more power outages were
possible. The National Weather Service has posted a winter weather advisory for most
of Western Washington while Eastern Washington is bracing for a rare blizzard.
Source:
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_ap_us_western_weather_power_outages.html
3. November 23, Michigan Messenger – (Michigan; International) Enbridge Pipeline 6B
could be turned back on by November 24. The Lakehead 6B pipeline, owned by
Enbridge Energy Partners of Canada, could be flowing oil again by November 24,
reported the Calgary Herald. The line was shut down November 17 at about 9 p.m. an
Enbridge spokesman told Michigan Messenger. The decision to shut the line down was
made when a new tool used to measure the condition of the pipeline indicated a total of
four anomalies in the line just outside the village of Stockbridge, Michigan in southern
Ingham County. The company decided to shut the line down and examine the pipe in
part to determine the accuracy of the new tool, called a smart pig. Enbridge spent
November 18 getting permits to dig up three locations, all within 2 miles of each other.
The pipeline has drawn attention because in July, the line ruptured in Marshall,
spewing an estimated one million gallons of Cold Lake Crude oil into Talmadge Creek
and the Kalamazoo River. The line transports 290,000 barrels of crude oil per day from
Illinois, across Michigan and into Sarnia, Ontario. The start up was approved after the
Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) rejected one start up
plan, and required additional safety measures for the resubmission of the plan. Under
the restart authorization, Enbridge was required to have a third party supervise the
restart, and the line was not allowed to function over a fraction of the maximum
pressure.
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Source: http://michiganmessenger.com/44120/enbridge-pipeline-6b-could-be-turnedback-on-by-wednesday
4. November 22, Charleston Gazette – (West Virginia) Massey cited after second
explosion at strip mine. Federal inspectors have cited Massey Energy with creating an
―imminent danger‖ following two explosions in less than 1 week at one of the
company’s sprawling surface mines in southern West Virginia. U.S. Mine Safety and
Health Administration (MSHA) officials issued the order to Massey’s Progress Coal
subsidiary November 15, after the second of two unplanned ignitions at the Twilight
MTR Surface Mine in Boone County, government records showed November 22.
MSHA inspectors described the event as ―an unplanned ignition or explosion of a
blasting agent or explosion.‖ It apparently occurred while an excavator was removing
rock and dirt from a mining pit. ―This is the second ignition/explosion of this nature
since 11-10-2010 while removing overburden with excavators,‖ the MSHA order said.
No injuries were reported in either incident, but MSHA classified its enforcement
action as an ―imminent danger‖ order because of the ―unknown nature of the
cause/causes of this type of incident at this time.‖ ―An investigation is underway as to
the causes of this type of accident,‖ the MSHA order said. ―Until the blasting
operations and explosives handling practices are deemed by MSHA to be safe, all
blasting and loading of explosives are hereby stopped to ensure the safety of those
involved in this mining procedure.‖ The Twilight Mine is a huge mountaintop removal
operation, producing nearly 5 million tons of coal last year with about 370 workers,
according to company disclosures filed with MSHA.
Source: http://wvgazette.com/News/201011220815
5. November 22, Brockton Enterprise – (Massachusetts) Electrical equipment fails in
Whitman, Massachusetts, causing power outages across the area. A piece of
electrical equipment that failed and ―lit up the sky‖ in Whitman, Massachusetts caused
widespread power outages November 22. The equipment failed at the transmission
station on Auburn Street, said a National Grid spokeswoman. When that station failed,
three other substations in Abington, Norwell, and North Abington failed as well, she
said. The failure happened at approximately 8:25 p.m., causing power outages in
Whitman, Abington, Rockland, Hanson, Weymouth, Norwell, Cohasset, and Scituate.
Local fire and police departments in communities including Abington, Whitman,
Rockland, Hanover, Norwell, and Weymouth fielded hundreds of emergency calls from
residents reporting power outages shortly after the failure. The spokeswoman said
approximately 23,000 National Grid customers were temporarily without power
between 8:25 p.m. and 9 p.m. November 22.
Source: http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/cops_and_courts/x1392205529/Poweroutages-reported-in-several-area-communities
6. November 22, Bloomberg – (Louisiana; National) Shell Hopes to start pipe
tomorrow, official says. Royal Dutch Shell Plc hoped to complete testing and restart
its 360,000-barrel-a-day Houma, Lousiana-to-Houston, Texas oil pipeline November
23, according to a state regulator. Repairs have been completed, a spokeswoman for the
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, said. The conduit, known as the Ho-
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Ho pipeline system, makes deliveries to refineries in Texas and Louisiana with a
combined capacity of more than 1.2 million barrels, according to data compiled by
Bloomberg. The line was shut November 16 after a leak was identified near Vinton,
Louisiana, according to Shell. About 1,030 barrels of oil spilled from the line,
according to an operator estimate, said a spokesman for the Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-22/shell-hopes-to-start-pipetomorrow-official-says-update1-.html
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Chemical Industry Sector
7. November 23, WJBF 6 Augusta – (Georgia) The latest on Midville train
derailment. An evacuation for the area around Highway 17 in Midville, Georgia,
remained in effect as of the morning of November 23. Emergency crews have been
working 24/7 after a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials, including
chlorine, derailed November 21. Crews were repairing the track and making sure the
area is free of contamination. Nearly 60 people were evacuated from their homes.
Crews are trying to re-rail nearly 40 cars of a 90-car train. Three cars were carrying
hazardous material. The public information officer for Norfolk Southern and
representatives with the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health said one of
the cars contained chlorine residue. ―That car has a hair line fracture in it and right now
we’re applying a patch and working to turn the chlorine residue into a bleach,‖ she said.
Another car contained sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate, a main ingredient in Oxiclean
and Methyl Ethyl Ketone, a solvent used to make airplane glue. Officials said the cars
are too far from each other for cross contamination. Emergency crews have also been
testing the air quality. Highway 17 remains closed between Millen and Midville.
People who live within the quarter mile radius of the accident will not be allowed back
into their homes as a precaution for at least 24 hours until the rail cars are removed.
Source: http://www2.wjbf.com/news/2010/nov/22/6/new-details-coming-midvilletrain-derailment-being-ar-1122023/
8. November 23, KHOU 11 Houston – (Texas) Highway 59 near Liberty, San Jacinto
County line reopens after chemical truck fire. All northbound and southbound lanes
of Highway 59 near the Liberty, San Jacinto County, Texas, line were temporarily shut
down November 22 due to a chemical truck fire. It has since been cleared. Authorities
said a vehicle pulling a trailer carrying methyl-acrylate, a highly flammable chemical,
toppled over around 4:50 a.m. The driver was said to be unharmed. San Jacinto police,
Cleveland police and Conroe Hazmat worked to clear the scene in order to get traffic
moving. The southbound lanes reopened shortly after 8 a.m. and the northbound lanes
reopened around 8:30 a.m.
Source: http://www.khou.com/news/local/Chemical-truck-fire-closes-Highway-59near-Liberty-San-Jacinto-County-line-110110424.html
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9. November 18, Urgent Communications – (National) National Hazmat Fusion Center
offers information-sharing Web portal. National Hazardous Materials Fusion Center
officials unveiled a responder-driven data collection, analysis and education Web portal
as part of a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Transportation’s
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the
International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). The portal is the central element of the
Hazmat Fusion Center, a free, voluntary, confidential, and secure Web-based portal that
serves as a data and information network for hazmat teams; first responders; federal,
state and local agencies; and the private sector. The Internet-based portal serves as a
one-stop shop for hazmat-response information, including training packages, reports,
incident-based case studies, statistics, trends, alerts, recommendations, and peer-to-peer
networking. It was designed with a consistent method of information collection to
support information-sharing across jurisdictions and levels of government and to
support individual and national-level needs. The secure incident-reporting system is
available for hazmat teams to enter, manage and analyze their own incident reports
while letting the Hazmat Fusion Center create a national picture of hazmat response
and disseminate regional and national hazmat trends and statistics. There is a public
and a members-only private side to the Web portal.
Source: http://urgentcomm.com/networks_and_systems/news/hazmat-fusion-center20101118/
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Nuclear Reactors, Materials and Waste Sector
10. November 23, Albany Times Union – (New York) Federal probe: Workers felt
pressed to ignore safety issues at Knolls nuclear site. A federal investigation into
radiation released during demolition of a research building at the Knolls Atomic Power
Laboratory in Niskayuna, New York found workers felt pressed by bosses to ignore
safety issues and get work done faster. A draft report, filed by investigators for the
Department of Energy and obtained by the Times Union, also concluded that
Washington Group International, a private company performing work under a $69
million contract, made missteps that led to an ―uncontrolled spread of radioactive
contamination‖ during the September 29 demolition of a tainted Cold War-era research
building at the research complex. The company was pushing to finish work three
months earlier than first planned — by September 2011 rather than December 2011 —
in order to receive an extra $32 million in federal stimulus funding awarded for the
cleanup in April 2009.
Source: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Federal-probe-Workers-felt-pressedto-ignore-826703.php
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Critical Manufacturing Sector
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11. November 22, Reuters – (Illinois) Boeing 787 fire caused by misplaced tool:
Report. The fire on a Boeing Co 787 Dreamliner test flight 2 weeks ago resulted from
a short circuit caused by a tool mistakenly left in an electrical equipment cabinet on the
plane, according to French newspaper La Tribune. In an article November 22, the paper
said that while the misplaced tool was the cause of the fire, engineers are trying to find
a way to prevent it from happening again. La Tribune attributed the information to
―industry sources.‖ A Boeing spokeswoman declined to comment on the accuracy of
the report, saying the investigation is ongoing. The French report said contractor
Hamilton Sundstrand, a unit of United Technologies that provides electrical
components, was likely one of several manufacturers involved. Boeing, the world’s
second-largest plane-maker after Airbus, halted test flights on the long-delayed 787
Dreamliner following the November 9 fire, which caused an emergency landing of the
plane in Laredo, Texas. The company has not said whether the fire would affect its
plans to make first delivery of the light-weight, carbon-composite plane to the first
customer in the first quarter of 2011. The delivery is already nearly 3 years behind
schedule. Some aviation experts believe there could be another delay of a few months
to a few years.
Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=12216798
12. November 22, Wall Street Journal – (International) Regulators move to combat
potential engine-oil fires. U.S. and European regulators issued separate air-safety
directives aimed at preventing oil leaks, fires and potentially hazardous engine failures
on hundreds of airliners, including wide-body Boeing Co. jets and Airbus A380 super
jumbos. The directives, issued November 22 by the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency, cover at least several dozen A380
engines made by Rolls-Royce PLC and roughly 900 other engines made by United
Technologies Corp.’s Pratt & Whitney unit. The Pratt & Whitney engines are used to
power some Airbus A300 and A330 models as well as such Boeing aircraft as the
widely used 777 and 767 jets, according to the FAA. Airbus is a unit of European
Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. The mandates highlight increased concerns by
regulators and air-safety experts about the hazards of undetected oil leaks in jet
engines. Such problems are believed to have prompted the blowout of a Rolls-Royce
Trent 900 engine on a Qantas Airways Ltd. superjumbo A380 earlier this month,
sparking an international investigation and prompting Qantas to ground its fleet of the
aircraft.
Source:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704243904575630930383298638.htm
l
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Defense Industrial Base Sector
13. November 23, IDG News Service – (Florida; National) Woman admits aiding firm in
selling fake chips to U.S. military. A Florida woman has pleaded guilty to charges she
helped her employer sell counterfeit computer chips for use by the U.S. military. The
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woman was an administrator at VisionTech Components, a Clearwater, Florida,
company that sold military-grade integrated circuits designed to handle extreme
temperatures and the shocks and bumps of battlefield use. She pleaded guilty
November 19 to a single conspiracy charge. Prosecutors said VisionTech did more than
$15.8 million in business over a 3-year period, doctoring and then selling counterfeit
integrated circuits imported from Hong Kong and China. The fake chips were sold to
many companies, including subcontractors working with big defense suppliers such as
Raytheon Missile Systems, BAE Systems, and Northrop Grumman. They were often
destined for use in sensitive areas such as missile programs, radiation detectors, and
non-military systems such as high-speed trains, the Department of Justice said in court
filings. Many of the chips were used in situations where a system failure would be
disastrous.
Source:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9197758/Woman_admits_aiding_firm_in_sell
ing_fake_chips_to_U.S._military
14. November 22, Guam News Watch – (Guam) Navy ship spotted at Guam ship repair
facility. A large naval vessel closely resembling the USNS Alan Shepard appeared to
be docked at the Guam Shipyard November 22. Upon confirmation from the Navy, at
1:17 p.m. November 22, Guam News Watch reported that the Alan Shepard had
suffered presumed minor damage toward the end of October. Not long thereafter, News
Watch spotted what is likely the Shepard cleated to the pier at the private Shipyard,
formerly the Naval Ship Repair Facility. ―Guam Shipyard cannot comment on this
incident at all since the damage to USNS Alan Shepard happened at the Navy Wharf,‖
wrote the Guam Shipyard president.
Source: http://guamnewswatch.com/201011223653/Local-News/Navy-Ship-SpottedAt-Guam-Ship-Repair-Facility.html
For another story, see item 18
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Banking and Finance Sector
15. November 23, Reuters – (National) FBI raids three hedge funds in insider trading
case. The FBI raided three hedge funds as part of a widening probe into suspected
insider trading in the $1.7 trillion hedge fund industry. The November 22 raids come as
federal prosecutors prepare to unveil a series of new insider trading cases as soon as
this year against hedge fund traders, consultants and Wall Street bankers. Two of the
raided funds are Diamondback Capital Management LLC and Level Global Investors
LP, each based in Connecticut and run by former managers of SAC Capital Advisors,
one of the best-known U.S. hedge funds. A Boston, Massachusetts-based firm, Loch
Capital Management, was also raided, a person familiar with the matter said. Loch has
close ties with a witness who pleaded guilty in an insider trading probe centered on
hedge fund Galleon Group. ―The Justice Department promised a more muscular
approach to white-collar crime, and is delivering,‖ said a professor at the City
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University of New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Spokesmen for the
FBI in New York and Boston said November 22 that the agency had executed search
warrants in connection with an ongoing investigation.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLNE6AM01N20101123
16. November 23, Delaware County Times – (Pennsylvania) Marple, Aston probe bank
robberies. Police believe a suspect in a November 22 robbery at Sovereign Bank in
Marple, Delaware is the same hooded male in sunglasses who pulled off a similar heist
in Aston earlier this month. Just as the lone male did November 13 at the Iron Workers
Bank in Aston, the suspect in the latest incident implied but did not display a weapon.
According to a Marple police detective, the male presented a demand note to tellers
when he entered the Sovereign Bank at 3001 West Chester Pike in Broomall, about
2:57 p.m. November 22. A suspect was captured on surveillance video at both banks
and appears to be wearing a similar gray hooded sweatshirt and knit gloves. He is
described as white, 25 to 30 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, medium build with
dark hair, beard and mustache. In Aston, the suspect was the only customer in the bank
at 3333 Concord Road, during the robbery. He entered the bank at about 11:14 a.m. At
the time, he approached the counter, stood between two tellers, and asked who was
available. Police said the suspect’s speech suggested to the tellers that he was from the
area.
Source:
http://delcotimes.com/articles/2010/11/23/news/doc4ceb492f5f2e6835868787.txt
17. November 22, East County Magazine – (California) Escondido bomb maker had
largest stash of home-made explosives ever found in U.S.; suspect also accused of
bank robberies. A 54-year-old male from Escondido, California pleaded not guilty to
28 criminal counts November 22. He is accused of possessing destructive explosive
devices and the ingredients to make them, as well as robbing two local banks. The
deputy district attorney told the judge that the suspect’s home was ―a bomb factory‖
containing ―the largest quantity of these types of homemade explosives at one place in
the United States.‖ Those materials pose ―a huge danger to officers and the public,‖ she
said. In addition to bombs and explosive materials, authorities found multiple
detonators, grenades, and shrapnel. Authorities have not disclosed what the intended
target of the bombs may have been, nor whether the man was acting alone or as part of
an organization. After a gardener was injured in an explosion in the home’s backyard
last week, investigators with the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms,
and San Diego County Sheriff’s Department searched the premises. They discovered
mason jars containing over 9 pounds of HMTD, an explosive commonly used by
suicide bombers and implicated in the foiled Millennium plot to bomb Los Angeles
Airport. On November 22, prosecutors revealed, additional explosives known as ETN
and PETN were also found. ETN is often mixed with other explosives and is highly
volatile and sensitive to friction. Mixed with plasticizers, PETN becomes a plastic
explosive. It is one of the most powerful explosives in the world.
Source: http://eastcountymagazine.org/node/4852
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18. November 22, Straits Times – (International) M’sian hacker ‘not alone’. The
Malaysian accused of hacking into the system of a United States central bank branch in
Ohio is believed to be highly skilled and acting in collaboration with others to carry out
cybercrimes. The 32-year-old male was described as an ―extremely sophisticated and
dangerous computer hacker‖ in documents obtained from the U.S. Justice Department.
He allegedly made a career of compromising computer servers belonging to financial
firms, defense contractors, and major corporations. He then sold or traded the stolen
information to others, according to U.S. prosecutors. He is accused of hacking into the
high-security systems of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank and the Pentagon’s security
contractors. He was caught in a New York diner by the U.S. Secret Service October 21
while allegedly selling stolen credit card numbers for $1,000. He had arrived in the city
just hours before his arrest.
Source:
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_606001.html
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Transportation Sector
19. November 23, KING 5 Seattle – (Washington) Plane overshoots runway at Sea-Tac
Airport; incoming flights delayed. Incoming flights at Sea-Tac Airport in Sea-Tac,
Washington, were being delayed as much as 4 hours November 22 due to icy runways.
It comes after a cargo plane skidded off an icy Sea-Tac Airport runway November 22.
The China Airlines 747 from Taipei was bound for Sea-Tac via John F. Kennedy
International Airport in New York City. It touched down at about 4:45 p.m. According
to the airport, the plane went about 100 feet past the designated landing marker. By the
airport’s definition, that means it was off the runway, although it was still technically
on pavement. The plane went to the cargo hangar on its own power. After the incident,
Sea-Tac Airport temporarily initiated a ground stop, which meant no incoming planes
were allowed to land. The ground stop was lifted a few minutes later, but a ground
delay was initiated, delaying flights as much as 4 hours. As of 11 p.m. November 22,
the Federal Aviation Administration Web site reported arrival delays were down to 29
minutes and decreasing.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40325510/ns/local_news-seattle_wa/
20. November 23, Deutsche Presse-Agentur – (International) Norwegian airport terminal
evacuated over suspicious item. A terminal at Bergen airport in Oslo, Norway was
evacuated November 23 over a suspicious piece of luggage. Baggage handlers spotted
an item which resulted in the decision to evacuate the terminal building, police told
local media. Bomb disposal experts were heading to Bergen from Oslo, police added.
Police were also trying to trace the owner of the luggage that had been checked in. The
terminal was expected to remain closed for several hours.
Source:
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1600886.php/Norwegian
-airport-terminal-evacuated-over-suspicious-item
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21. November 23, WLEX 18 Lexington – (Kentucky) Semi accident snarls traffic in
Louisville. Residents in Louisville, Kentucky, faced a snag in their morning rush hour
commute November 23. A section I-65 northbound in downtown Louisville remained
closed as police and emergency crews clean up the mess left by a jackknifed semi.
Around 4 a.m., a truck lost control along I-65 at Hospital Curve in downtown
Louisville, near Muhammad Ali Boulevard. The semi spilled about 60 gallons of diesel
fuel onto the roadway. The accident left the rig’s cab partially hanging off an overpass.
No one was seriously injured and police said there was no danger to traffic below.
Police were directing traffic to exit off of 65 north at the Brook and Broadway exits
near downtown Louisville. Crews removed the semi around 6 a.m., but the fuel cleanup
continued.
Source: http://www.lex18.com/news/semi-accident-snarls-traffic-in-louisville
22. November 23, WCVB 5 Boston – (Massachusetts) Logan Airport cargo area
evacuated. Massport officials said a cargo area at Logan International Airport in
Boston, Massachusetts, was being evacuated as a precaution November 23 while
investigators examined a suspicious item discovered there. They said it was the Delta
Airlines cargo area located on Harborside Drive, well away from any passenger areas at
the airport. There was no immediate word on what the item was but Massport officials
said the evacuation was triggered by TSA K-9 unit dog picking up a scent on a pallet at
the cargo area during a security sweep. They were examining two duffel bags with
Nigerian addresses, according to a Massport spokesman. No injuries were reported.
Source: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r/25894162/detail.html
23. November 22, KOMO 4 Seattle – (Washington) Snow, wind, ice make for hours-long
commutes. Another round of snow and wind barreled into the Seattle, Washington,
area November 22, covering Puget Sound roads with a sheen of ice and bringing roads
and freeways to a standstill for the evening commute. One person was killed in a crash
on I-5 near the Tacoma Dome late in the evening when he was hit while outside of his
vehicle. For all of the evening, every major freeway except for I-90 had major
problems for those trying to leave Seattle. Perhaps the worst was on the southbound
lanes of I-5, where a jackknifed bus and several spinouts shut down the freeway for 2
hours around 5:30 p.m., and created a miles-long backup. The state department of
transportation was able to reopen the freeway for about 15 minutes before several new
spin-outs of buses and semi trucks forced the freeway to shutdown again. It reopened
just before 11 p.m. On I-5 North, a disabled bus was blocking most of the freeway at
NE 71st Street. Then about 2 hours later, two buses jackknifed in the northbound lanes
at Mercer, causing new backups. Spun out cars blocked all lanes of Eastbound 520 at
84th Ave NE and westbound traffic was parked to the west highrise for several hours.
Source: http://www.komonews.com/news/109979899.html
For more stories, see items 3, 6, 7, 11, and 12
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Postal and Shipping Sector
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24. November 23, Watertown Daily Times – (New York) Parcel alarms post office. A
package leaking an unidentified substance at the post office caused emergency
responders to shut down a portion of St. Regis Road in Hogansburg, New York
November 19. A U.S. Postal Service inspector said the package ―arose some suspicions
with the employees.‖ St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police said about 4 ounces of a
substance spilled from the package. Officials would not identify the substance. While
the typical protocol would have required the employees to notify the U.S. Postal
Service, the Postal Inspector said the local employees instead contacted Franklin
County 911, which dispatched its hazardous materials unit. She said postal inspectors
also responded to the scene once notified of the incident.
Source: http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20101123/NEWS05/311239960
25. November 22, CBS/Associated Press – (California) ‘Dancing with the Stars’ studio
received threatening letter with white powder. Not everyone is a fan of ABC’s hit
television series ―Dancing with the Stars,‖ but one person apparently went to great
lengths to make that point — by sending a threatening letter filled with white powder to
the Los Angeles, California studio where the show is filmed. The crew was forced to
evacuate the building November 19, but according to RadarOnline.com, none of the
remaining contestants were in the building at the time. Authorities said the powder was
tested and was not hazardous. In a statement, ABC confirmed the envelope was
received at the show’s production office and the substance was determined to be talcum
powder. It is unclear whether the letter was directed at one of the three remaining stars
on the show, however, the daughter of the former governor of Alaska has been the
center of controversy since her very first appearance.
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20023550-504083.html
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Agriculture and Food Sector
26. November 23, WJHG 7 Panama City – (Florida) Fire destroys Side Pocket Tavern in
Parker. A fire November 23 completely destroyed Side Pocket Tavern in Parker,
Florida. Parker and Bay County fire rescue crews responded to the blaze that broke out
a little after 1 a.m., shortly after closing time for the tavern. It took several hours for
crews to get the fire under control, and even at 8:30 a.m., hot spots were still flaring up.
The structure appears to be completely destroyed. Several nearby mobile homes were
in danger, and three were evacuated by fire rescue crews, but the fire departments
managed to save the neighboring structures. The cause of the fire is still under
investigation.
Source:
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/Fire_destroys_Side_Pocket_Tavern_in_Parker_
110135094.html
27. November 22, Sebeka Review Messenger – (Minnesota) MDA confirms first detection
of brown marmorated stink bug in Minnesota. Late the week of November 15,
Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) laboratory staff in St. Paul found a
- 11 -
brown marmorated stink bug on some new equipment that had been delivered to the lab
building. The staff contacted the MDA’s Plant Protection Division, where staff
confirmed the insect was the first brown marmorated stink bug found in the state.
Native to Asia, the pest was first identified in the United States in Pennsylvania in
2001. It has since been reported across the mid-Atlantic region and in Oregon. The bug
typically spreads to new areas by flying or by stowing away in shipping containers or
vehicles. It is unclear how the insect arrived in the laboratory building. However,
MDA’s plant protection director said it is likely the insect hitched a ride inside the
boxes containing the new lab equipment, which had been shipped from the eastern U.S.
In response to this discovery, MDA is searching the laboratory to find and eradicate
any other stink bugs that may have arrived.
Source:
http://www.reviewmessenger.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8
098:mda-confirms-first-detection-of-brown-marmorated-stink-bug-inminnesota&catid=35:other-local-news
28. November 22, Portland Oregonian – (Washington) New cheese recall: Washington
State company pulls Mexican-style cheese. The Food and Drug Administration
announced a new cheese recall November 22. Del Bueno, located in Grandview,
Washington, is pulling four Mexican-style cheeses over fears they are contaminated
with listeria. The recall covers all packages of its Queso Fresco Fresh Cheese, Queso
Panela Fresh Cheese, Requeson Mexican Style Ricotta Cheese, and Queso Enchilado
Dry Cheese.
Source: http://www.perishablenews.com/index.php?article=0011133
For another story, see item 1
[Return to top]
Water Sector
29. November 23, Newark Advocate – (Ohio) Company’s discharge violates Heath city
permit. A Heath, Ohio, company discharged industrial waste to the city’s wastewater
plant, in violation of its permit, the utilities superintendent told Heath City Council
members November 21. WS Packaging, a print, packaging and label manufacturer in
the Mid-Ohio Industrial Park, released an unauthorized discharge of ink and solvents in
October, he reported. The inks must be hauled off site, which can be expensive, he said.
The city monitors the company and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
monitors the city. The discharge put the company out of compliance, which put the city
out of compliance with the EPA for a few days. The city’s treated discharges into the
river, therefore, were not in compliance with EPA standards until the city determined
the origin of the problem. The city probably will avoid any financial penalty because it
met with company and EPA officials and required WS Packaging to build an off-site
sampling station and buy a sampler, a total cost of about $5,000, within 90 days.
Source: http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20101123/NEWS01/11230315
- 12 -
30. November 23, Associated Press – (Hawaii) Pearl Harbor sewage spill prompts
warnings. The Hawaii State Department of Health is warning divers to avoid the water
around Pearl Harbor’s Pier Mike 1 after thousands of gallons of sewage spilled in a
storm drain that empties into harbor. The department said a sewer line ruptured near the
pier November 21. Authorities were able to contain and vacuum 12,500 gallons but
4,200 gallons entered the storm drain. The department said military personnel and
private contractors should postpone diving activities in the area for a few days until
bacteria levels return to normal.
Source: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2010/11/ap-pearl-harbor-sewage-spill112310/
31. November 22, WDSU 6 New Orleans – (Louisiana) City still investigating boil order
procedures. A day after the tap water on the east bank of New Orleans, Louisiana was
deemed safe to drink, there were lots of questions for city leaders about what led to the
initial boil-water order and the related communication breakdown. The largest boil-boil
water advisory since Hurricane Katrina was issued as a precaution. It stemmed from
what a sewerage and water board member called a catastrophic failure of all backup
systems resulting in low water pressure and the increased risk for contamination.
Following a news conference at city hall November 22, the deputy mayor attempted to
address concerns over the 5-hour delay between the time the sewerage and water board
announced the boil order and the time the information was posted on the city’s e-mail
and text alert system. ―I think they should have been notified minutes after. We are
going to get to the bottom of why that took so long and put systems in place to make
sure it doesn’t happen again,‖ he said. There have been no reports of sickness as a
result of the incident.
Source: http://www.wdsu.com/r/25883248/detail.html
[Return to top]
Public Health and Healthcare Sector
32. November 22, Northwest Herald – (Illinois) Norovirus outbreak in three facilities;
129 people ill. An outbreak of norovirus has been reported after 129 people became ill
in three long-term care facilities, according to the McHenry County Department of
Health (MCDH) in Illinois. Fourteen cases of norovirus, which is highly contagious,
have been confirmed and five people have been hospitalized. An MCDH spokeswoman
declined to release the names of the facilities where the virus was found, but said that
their administrators are cooperating and taking steps to prevent it from spreading.
Unlike influenza, which is an upper respiratory virus, noroviruses are generally the
culprit that causes what is referred to as ―stomach flu.‖ It affects the intestinal tract and
causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Symptoms usually last between 24 and 48
hours.
Source: http://www.nwherald.com/2010/11/22/norovirus-outbreak-in-three-facilities129-people-ill/ah5cxnj/
[Return to top]
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Government Facilities Sector
33. November 23, Honolulu Star Advertiser – (Hawaii) 2 boys arrested after explosion at
school. Two students at Kapolei High School in Kapolei, Hawaii were arrested, and an
employee was sent to a hospital with lightheadedness and nausea after a plastic bottle
exploded in a campus restroom just before noon November 22. The two 14-year-old
males were arrested for investigation of reckless endangering and released pending
investigation, a police spokeswoman said. The explosion, caused by what firefighters
described as a ―chemical pressure bomb,‖ happened in a boys’ restroom in ―G‖
Building. Two adults, both of whom appeared to be security guards, were treated for
chemical exposure at about 1 p.m., a city emergency services department spokesman
said. One of the injured, a woman in her 30s, was taken in stable condition to a
hospital, the spokesman said. A man who appeared to be in his 40s was treated and
released at the scene after complaining of eye irritation. The explosion was caused by a
chemical reaction from the mixing of household chemicals such as corrosives and
oxidizers.
Source:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/hawaiinews/20101123_2_boys_arrested_after_exp
losion_at_school.html
34. November 23, Washington Post – (National) Security at U.S. courthouses
questioned. Federal judges and court personnel could be at risk because of poor
training, questionable contracts, and broken security equipment used by guards
protecting the nation’s federal courthouses, according to a new report by the Justice
Department’s inspector general. Federal courthouse security is handled by the U.S.
Marshals Service, which employs about 5,000 contract guards to protect more than
2,000 federal judges and 6,000 other court personnel working at 400 facilities
nationwide. But multiple district offices failed to detect mock explosive devices sent to
them by agency officials in February 2009 as part of a test of local security procedures,
the report said. Three unnamed federal district court chief judges at unspecified
locations expressed serious concerns with security procedures, especially with how
guards screen visitors and large vehicles entering courthouses. Names and locations
were not published for security purposes, according to the inspector general’s office.
Federal court personnel were the target of 1,278 threats in fiscal 2008, more than
double the threats received in 2003, according to an inspector general report published
in 2009.
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/11/22/AR2010112207052.html
35. November 22, East Tennessean – (Tennessee) Homemade explosive found on
campus. A homemade bomb, made primarily from a bottle and drain cleaner, was
found by an East Tennessee State University (ETSU) custodial staff member November
19 outside Lucille Clement Residence Hall near the recycling bins for plastics. The
device was considered a homemade incendiary device. ETSU’s public safety chief said
the device did not explode, but still posed a danger to students. Students received an
ETSU GoldAlert message at 2:42 p.m. regarding the device. The safety chief
- 14 -
speculated that the bottle-bomb is similar to those found in Johnson City residential
areas over the past several weeks. Once forensics are ran on the object, public safety
will compare the results with that of the Johnson City Police Department to see if the
device is linked with the others.
Source:
http://media.www.easttennessean.com/media/storage/paper203/news/2010/11/22/News
/Homemade.Explosive.Found.On.Campus-3962058.shtml
36. November 22, National Journal – (District of Columbia; Virginia) White House North
Lawn evacuated briefly after pilot flies into restricted airspace. The U.S. Secret
Service briefly cleared the North Lawn of the White House in Washington D.C.
November 22 after a student pilot entered restricted airspace near the capital. Two F-16
fighters intercepted the Cessna 182 at around 2:20 p.m., the Secret Service said. The
plane landed at an airfield in Manassas, Virginia, 10 minutes later. The pilot was met
on the ground by federal officials, who questioned and released him, according to a
Secret Service spokesman. Whenever an aircraft violates flight restrictions around
Washington, the Secret Service evacuates the North Lawn of the White House as a
precaution. The Secret Service, the Federal Aviation Administration, and other
government agencies maintain an open phone line called the Domestic Events Network
to inform each other immediately when restricted airspace is breached.
Source: http://www.nationaljournal.com/white-house-north-lawn-evacuated-brieflyafter-pilot-flies-into-restricted-airspace-20101122
37. November 22, WFSB 3 Hartford – (Connecticut) Gas leak reported in New Haven;
Yale buildings evacuated. An entire block of Yale University in New Haven,
Connecticut, was evacuated November 22 after construction crews hit a high-pressure
gas line on Prospect Street. More than eight Yale buildings including Ingalls Arena
were shut down for more than an hour. The Yale University women’s hockey team was
practicing at the time. Just before noon, construction crews working on Prospect Street
hit the high-pressure gas line causing it to leak for nearly an hour. In addition to the
building evacuations, outdoor vendors were told to leave their carts and evacuate the
area. Once the gas was shut off, fire crews had to make sure all the buildings were gasfree. All of the buildings were deemed safe by mid-afternoon.
Source: http://www.wfsb.com/news/25877436/detail.html
38. November 22, KFVS 12 Cape Girardeau – (Missouri) Poplar Bluff city Internet
service under cyber attack. Local investigators and the FBI are trying to figure out
why and who is launching a cyber attack against the Municipal Utilities Internet service
in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Weekly attempts to disrupt the city-run system went from
500 to 45,000 per week back in July, and have remained at about that rate ever since.
―It went from nothing to that number in a week,‖ the city manager said. ―That’s when
we got concerned.‖ So far the hackers have not found any holes in the system. He said
the city’s internal security has been able to fight the so called ―pings.‖ Municipal
Utilities serves 3,546 Onternet customers. The city manager said they decided to get the
police and cyber crimes investigators involved to try and figure out why someone
would try to overload the system in Poplar Bluff. A detective said Poplar Bluff
- 15 -
authorities are working with the FBI on the case.
Source: http://www.kfvs12.com/Global/story.asp?S=13552821
For more stories, see items 1 and 18
[Return to top]
Emergency Services Sector
39. November 22, WHBQ 13 Memphis – (Mississippi) Major north Mississippi phone
outage: 911 services down from Tunica Co. to Lee County. A major phone outage
has left Tunica County to Lee County, Mississippi, without 911 services. A boring rife
in Walls, Mississippi cut a cable around 9.5 feet underground. This cable belongs to
Telepak Networks. Telepak crews have been dispatched out but were not expected to
repair the cable until 3 a.m. November 23. This covers a large portion of North
Mississippi.
Source: http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/mississippi/112210-major-northmississippi-phone-outage:-911-services-down-from-tunica-co.-to-lee-county
40. November 22, KHOU 11 Houston – (Texas) Copper thieves target radio
transmission towers, endanger public. A rash of break-ins at radio transmission
towers in northern Harris and southern Montgomery counties in Texas have first
responders worried about the impact on public safety. Thieves have broken into and
stolen copper wiring from dozens of towers and, in at least one instance, disrupted the
communications system dispatchers use to communicate with firefighters and
paramedics. He said thieves broke into the fire department’s transmission tower near
Spring the week of November 15. They pointed the surveillance camera toward the sky
and ripped apart a generator, he said. He said more than a quarter million people were
put in danger because a communications outage triggered by the theft left dispatchers
without a primary way to reach firefighters and paramedics for nearly 1 hour.
According to sources inside various fire departments, thieves have targeted dozens of
transmission towers in northern Harris and southern Montgomery counties for months.
Thieves have also stolen copper pipes and copper wiring from a fire station under
construction in Spring.
Source: http://www.khou.com/news/Copper-thieves-target-radio-transmission-towersendanger-public-109971859.html
For another story, see item 9
[Return to top]
Information Technology Sector
41. November 23, PC World – (International) iOS 4.2 includes massive security
update. Apple has released iOS 4.2. The update fixes more than 80 vulnerabilities in
the iPhone, iPod, and iPad. Apple policy dictates that the vulnerabilities not be publicly
- 16 -
disclosed until the patch is available. Many of the vulnerabilities had critical security
implications. For example, viewing a PDF file was a potentially risky task on pre-iOS
4.2 devices. ―A heap buffer overflow exists in FreeType’s handling of TrueType
opcodes [CVE-2010-3814]. Viewing a PDF document with maliciously crafted
embedded fonts may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code
execution. This update addresses the issue through improved bounds checking,‖ Apple
said. There is also a vulnerability which reveals surfing history. ―A design issue exists
in WebKit’s handling of the CSS :visited pseudo-class. A maliciously crafted website
may be able to determine which sites a user has visited. This update limits the ability of
web pages to style pages based on whether links are visited.‖
Source:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9197839/iOS_4.2_includes_massive_security
_update
42. November 23, Network World – (International) Facebook’s Christmas Tree virus
only a hoax. Security vendor Sophos said Facebook users can relax and stop warning
each other about a supposed computer crashing Christmas tree-themed app disguised as
a virus since the whole thing is just a hoax. Thousands of Facebook users have raced in
recent days to rescue friends by posting warnings of ―one of the WORST Trojan
viruses‖ out there, but Sophos said it has seen no evidence that such a malware-bearing
app exists (not that one could not be concocted). Sophos said the warnings of this nonexistent app actually appear to have traveled faster than past warnings of real threats.
Geek Squad is cited by Facebook users as a source warning of the Christmas Tree app.
A senior technology consultant with Sophos noted there was a real Christmas tree virus
back in the late 1980s that did infect machines on IBM’s internal network and other
networks.
Source:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9197842/Facebook_s_Christmas_Tree_virus_
only_a_hoax
43. November 23, IDG News Service – (International) Is SAP afraid of a Stuxnet-style
attack? Enterprise software provider SAP is stepping up its security stance as its onceisolated systems become increasingly connected to the Internet, posing new risks as
hackers diversify their targets. ―You can now have all your business information
directly connected to the Internet,‖ said the director of research and development for
Onapsis, which does SAP security evaluations for companies. With SAP, ―†¦ mostly
now the concern is a direct attack, such as taking a system offline or modifying
business information,‖ he said. The core of SAP is its Netweaver platform. If an
attacker can get inside Netweaver, any of the other applications on top of it can be
compromised, he said. SAP has also been evangelizing the importance of better
security practices to its customers. In September, it published a white paper, ―Secure
Configuration SAP Netweaver Application Server ABAP,‖ that consolidated a set of its
existing security recommendations into a succinct document. The recommendations
cover SAP systems used on internal networks and are not Internet facing. ―While some
organizations already have made these configurations, we realized that other customers
still underestimate the increased level of threat from inside a company,‖ an SAP
- 17 -
spokesman said.
Source:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9197840/Is_SAP_afraid_of_a_Stuxnet_style_
attack_?taxonomyId=18&pageNumber=1
44. November 23, Help Net Security – (International) Multiply users urged to download
disguised malware. Users of the Multiply social networking site have lately been
targeted with malicious personal messages coming from accounts opened by
cybercriminals. The message implies that the sender and the recipient know each other
from somewhere, and the potential victim is urged to see the attached movie in order to
jog their memory. But, the movie is just a pretext to get him or her to install a codec
that is supposedly needed to see the video. The offered codec is a dropper Trojan in
disguise. It is detected by Trend Micro as TROJ_KATUSHA.F, and it is also often sent
out as an attachment in bogus e-mails.
Source: http://www.net-security.org/malware_news.php?id=1542
45. November 22, Help Net Security – (International) Are malware hybrids the next big
threat? Recent encounters with hybridized malware files have left Trend Micro
researchers wondering if they have been designed that way or if they are just an
undesirable side effect lurking from heavily infected systems. To demonstrate how both
malware may benefit from the symbiosis, they took the recently detected attack
involving an IRC bot (WORM_LAMIN.AC) infected by a mother file infector
(PE_VIRUX.AA-O) as an example. Because of PE_VIRUX’s polymorphic nature,
WORM_LAMIN.AC might be harder to detect. WORM_LAMIN.AC returns the favor
by spreading PE_VIRUX. Together they change user and system security settings in a
way that makes it easier for them to remain undetected, and payloads carried by both
are delivered. It is likely that its appearance will spark other malware developers to try
that novel approach.
Source: http://www.net-security.org/malware_news.php?id=1540
For another story, see item 13
Internet Alert Dashboard
To report cyber infrastructure incidents or to request information, please contact US-CERT at sos@us-cert.gov or
visit their Web site: http://www.us-cert.gov
Information on IT information sharing and analysis can be found at the IT ISAC (Information Sharing and
Analysis Center) Web site: https://www.it-isac.org
[Return to top]
Communications Sector
46. November 22, Erictric – (National) There goes Google Voice; down once
again. Google Voice was down again. The service has almost been suffering
performance or downtime issues on a daily basis in November. When asked for
- 18 -
comment, Mountain View, California-based Google Inc. indicated a bug has caused
issues. However, they did not elaborate further. Affected users November 22 appeared
to be unable to place outbound calls. In addition, some reported seeing ―This Call
Cannot Be Completed‖ error messages. Inbound calls also appear to be affected, as
they do not get through.
Source: http://erictric.com/2010/11/22/there-goes-google-voice-down-again/
47. November 22, Charlottevile Hook – (Virginia) CenturyLink internet not working for
many (or is it?). Many of CenturyLink’s high-speed Internet customers in Virginia
were without service November 22, as the provider was experiencing a wide-spread
outage. ―We are currently working to resolve this issue,‖ said a recorded voice at the
technical support number. ―We apologize for the inconvenience.‖ A phone call seeking
further information about the outage was promptly returned — with the information
that there may not be any wide outage at all. ―We feel like that [recording] may be in
error,‖ said a spokeswoman. ―We don’t have any widespread outages reported. Our
load doesn’t show any kind of a spike.‖
Source: http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2010/11/22/centurylink-internetnot-working-for-many/
For more stories, see items 25, 39, and 40
[Return to top]
Commercial Facilities Sector
48. November 23, KIRO 7 Seattle – (Washington) Fire damages Greenwood Strip
Mall. Three shops were damaged during a fire at a strip mall in Seattle, Washington’s
Greenwood neighborhood November 23. Most of the damage the shops suffered was
from water or smoke. According to Phinneywood.com, fire officials said the blaze
started at the discount convenience store Rite Zone at 4:15 a.m. Video from Chopper 7
showed contents of the store pulled out onto the street to be hosed down. While
fighting the fire, one firefighter fell into a stairwell but was not injured. The fire was
reported by a Seattle City Light crew that noticed smoke while responding to a power
outage.
Source: http://www.kirotv.com/news/25878662/detail.html
49. November 22, Pleasanton Patch – (California) Office buildings evacuated near
Stoneridge Mall. Four office buildings near Stoneridge Shopping Center in
Pleasanton, California, were evacuated November 22 after smoke from a possible
transformer failure prompted firefighters to tell dozens of employees to leave. The
battalion chief for the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department said his agency
received a call at 10 a.m. regarding smoke at the buildings in the 6000 block of
Stoneridge Mall Drive. The battalion chief said inspectors believe an electrical
transformer in an enclosed area near the buildings either exploded or caught fire.
Initially, 12 customers were without power, said a utility spokeswoman. As of 8 p.m.,
three customers remained without electricity. The spokeswoman confirmed a failed
- 19 -
transformer caused the outages. There were no injuries reported.
Source: http://pleasanton.patch.com/articles/office-buildings-evacuated-nearstoneridge-mall
50. November 22, WKTV 2 Utica – (New York) Three hospitalized after fire at Kennedy
Plaza Apartments. A firefighter, security guard, and a resident were taken to the
hospital after a fire at Kennedy Plaza Apartments in Utica, New York, November 22.
The fire started around 7 p.m. on the 16th floor. The Utica fire chief said a firefighter
went into cardiac arrest while he was battling flames and was taken to the hospital. He
also said a security guard attempted to put the flames out himself and suffered second
degree burns on his hands and face. Both were taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center
for treatment. The chief said one of the most challenging things about this fire is the
fact many of the people who live at the Kennedy Plaza Apartments have physical or
emotional disabilities, which caused evacuation problems. One resident suffered a
seizure in the lobby and was taken to the hospital. The chief said the fire was under
control within about an hour. It may have started around an elevator in the building.
Source: http://www.wktv.com/news/local/Firefighter-among-three-hospitalized-afterfire-at-Kennedy-Plaza-Apartments--110023904.html
For another story, see item 25
[Return to top]
National Monuments and Icons Sector
51. November 23, Associated Press – (Louisiana) Man sentenced for woods arson. A 33year-old Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison
for setting fires on timber property owned by Hancock Forest Products and Crest
Natural Resources. The suspect, of Starks, pleaded guilty to five counts of simple arson
and was sentenced to 3 years on each count. Department of Agriculture and Forestry
arson investigators made the arrest May 18. The fires burned 145 acres of timberland in
Beauregard Parish, and caused an estimated $42,000 in losses.
Source: http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=13554143
52. November 23, Northern Virginia Daily – (Virginia) Forest fire fight nears
completion. Crews are all but finished fighting two fires within the George
Washington National Forest in Page County, Virginia, according to the U.S. Forest
Service. The fire on Burners Gap had reached 560 acres November 21 when
firefighters worked on ―mopping up‖ areas still smoldering, a report stated. Duncan
Hollow Trail remains closed in that area, which is 5 miles northwest of Luray and 2
miles southwest of Camp Roosevelt. An interpretative specialist for the Lee Ranger
District said a few crews will still be in the area November 23. The second fire, an 83acre blaze on Kennedy Peak, had little fire activity and smoke November 21, the report
stated. Trails to the area are now open.
Source: http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2010/11/forest-fire-fight-nears-completion.php
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53. November 23, Lake County News – (California) Snow strands travelers in national
forest. Two cases of stranded travelers in Mendocino National Forest in California
were reported November 21. Just after noon, three people were reported to be suffering
from exposure to the new-fallen snow in the forest area above Upper Lake, according
to radio reports. Two people of Northshore Fire Protection District tried to make their
way up to assist. ―We could not reach them,‖ one said November 22, noting, ―We got
as far as we could.‖ But U.S. Forest Service personnel were able to assist the three
individuals. On the Mendocino County side of the forest, 12 people had to be rescued
after becoming stuck in the snow, according to a captain of the Mendocino County
Sheriff’s Office. Shortly before 7 p.m., the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office was
advised that 12 people had traveled from the Willits and North County area to the
Anthony Peak Range. Once in the Anthony Peak Range area, the dozen individuals
became stuck in the snow and called for help from their cell phones. Mendocino
County Search and Rescue were dispatched to the location. At 11 p.m., four of the
stranded subjects were able to walk to the location where a search and rescue group
was staged, but the weather and road conditions were such that the remaining eight
could not be reached safely until it was daylight and there was a break in the weather.
The stranded subjects were advised to stay inside of their vehicle until help reached
their location. At 7:30 a.m. November 22, deputies utilized Mendocino County
Sheriff’s Office snowmobiles and were able to access the remaining eight individuals
who had remained at their vehicles.
Source: http://lakeconews.com/content/view/17106/919/
54. November 23, WRC 4 Washington D.C. – (District of Columbia) Fire damages
Vietnam vet gathering spot on National Mall. A popular gathering spot for veterans
on the National Mall in Washington D.C. was badly damaged November 22 after it
went up in flames. The fire started with a propane heater that was next to the small
stand that sits between the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Wall. It is staffed 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, and is a place where veterans trade pins and other
memorabilia. Investigators said it appears the propane tank overheated, causing it to
catch on fire. It is not yet clear if and when the stand will reopen.
Source: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Fire-Damages-VeteranGathering-Spot-On-National-Mall-110104419.html
[Return to top]
Dams Sector
55. November 23, KWTX 10 Waco – (Texas) Safety concerns raised about major central
Texas dam. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced November 22 it is
implementing what it called ―interim risk reduction measures‖ while launching a longterm study after a screening rated the Stillhouse Hollow Dam in Bell County, Texas, as
―having very high risk characteristics.‖ The screening in 2008 evaluated how well the
dam meets current design standards and the potential consequences of dam failure. The
dam’s high-risk classification ―is a result of confirmed and unconfirmed issues and
downstream consequences,‖ the Corps of Engineers said in a press release. The Corps
- 21 -
did not identify the issues, but said the dam is now performing as intended. The Corps
said interim measures include a review of emergency plans, stockpiling materials, and
surveillance of the dam when flood pool levels are high. ―Stillhouse-Hollow Dam is
operating as designed but is over 40 years old and we continue to assess and ensure its
safe operation,‖ said the commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Fort Worth
District. Work began on the dam on the Lampasas River in 1962 and was finished in
1968.
Source:
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/Safety_Concerns_Raised_About_Major_Central
_Texas_Dam_110150944.html
56. November 22, New Orleans Times-Picayune – (Louisiana) Lowering New Orleans
floodwalls could improve canal safety, engineers say. Regional levee commissioners
in New Orleans, Louisiana, are floating a counterintuitive idea: After the Army Corps
of Engineers makes the walls safe enough to hold 8 feet of water next year, consider
reducing their height to make them even safer. Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection
Authority-East insisted professionals are obligated to ask and answer the question:
Once the 12-foot walls are repaired to hold 8 feet of water, would removing the top 4
feet actually reduce the potential for a future breach? The supposition is if the walls
were cut down to leave only their ―safe‖ sections standing, water that exceeded 8 feet
would simply cascade over like an overfilled bathtub. That is a far less damaging
scenario than having high water climb the unsafe sections, rupture the wall, and send
water exploding into the nearest neighborhood, said the levee authority commissioner.
On the recommendation of his committee, the full authority agreed November 18 to
initiate a four-way discussion of the concept with the New Orleans Sewerage & Water
Board, the state coastal protection and restoration authority, and the Corps.
Source:
http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf/2010/11/shorter_new_orleans_floodwalls.htm
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DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report Contact Information
About the reports - The DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report is a daily [Monday through Friday]
summary of open-source published information concerning significant critical infrastructure issues. The DHS Daily
Open Source Infrastructure Report is archived for ten days on the Department of Homeland Security Web site:
http://www.dhs.gov/iaipdailyreport
Contact Information
Content and Suggestions:
Send mail to cikr.productfeedback@hq.dhs.gov or contact the DHS
Daily Report Team at (703)387-2267
Subscribe to the Distribution List:
Visit the DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report and follow
instructions to Get e-mail updates when this information changes.
Removal from Distribution List:
Send mail to support@govdelivery.com.
Contact DHS
To report physical infrastructure incidents or to request information, please contact the National Infrastructure
Coordinating Center at nicc@dhs.gov or (202) 282-9201.
To report cyber infrastructure incidents or to request information, please contact US-CERT at soc@us-cert.gov or visit
their Web page at www.us-cert.gov.
Department of Homeland Security Disclaimer
The DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report is a non-commercial publication intended to educate and inform
personnel engaged in infrastructure protection. Further reproduction or redistribution is subject to original copyright
restrictions. DHS provides no warranty of ownership of the copyright, or accuracy with respect to the original source
material.
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